PROCEDURE AND PROCEDURES FOR RELATIVE VISA ISSUANCE

1. Relative Visa

A relative visa is a document issued by a competent authority in Vietnam. Accordingly, this document allows spouses and children of certain foreigners or spouses and children and parents of Vietnamese citizens to travel to Vietnam for long-term living together.

According to the Law No. 51/2019/QH14 dated November 25, 2019, of the National Assembly on amendments to a number of articles of Law on entry, exit, transit and residence of foreigners in Vietnam, a relative visa (TT) is granted to:

• Parents, spouses, or children of Vietnamese citizens;
• Spouses or children under 18 years of age of foreigners issued with LV1, LV2, LS, DT1, DT2, DT3, NN1, NN2, DH, PV1, LD1, or LD2 visas

2. Duration of Relative Visa 

According to the provisions of the law on entry, exit and residence of foreigners in Vietnam, a relative visa in Vietnam is valid for a maximum of 12 months. However, the duration of a visa to visit relatives in Vietnam will be at least 30 days shorter than that of a passport or international travel document.

In fact, the current visa for visiting relatives is issued from 3 to 6 months.

3. Required documents

The procedure to get a family/relative/spouse visa for Vietnam may vary depending on where you are at the time of application, in Vietnam or outside the country.

In case a foreigner who is holding a Vietnamese visa sponsors his relatives for a Relative visa, the documents include:

• Application for a Relative visa in Vietnam:
• Form NA2 is certified by the company or sponsor organization, clearly stating that the place of visa stamping is the Vietnamese Embassy/Consulate General abroad or Vietnam’s international border gate (in case the relative is abroad).
• Form NA5 is certified by the sponsor company or organization (in case the relative is in Vietnam).
• Passport of the relative (valid for at least 06 months, having at least 02 blank pages):
• Photocopy (in case the relative is abroad).
• Original (in case the relative is in Vietnam).
• Copy of passport and valid visa/temporary residence card of the sponsor;
• Documents proving the relationship such as a birth certificate for children, parents, marriage registration certificate for husband and wife, household registration book, family certificate, … (consular legalization and notarized translation according to regulations);
• Documents of the sponsor company where the sponsor is working, including:
• Enterprise Registration Certificate (ERC) or Investment Registration Certificate (IRC) or The Establishment License of Representative Office (notarized copy);
• Sample letter of introduction of seal and signature and Tax registration certificate.
• Letter of the introduction of the person applying.

In case a Vietnamese citizen sponsors a foreign relative to apply for a relative visa, the documents include:

• Application for a relative visa in Vietnam:
• Form NA3 is certified by the police at the commune level, where the Vietnamese permanently reside, clearly stating that the place of visa stamping is the Vietnamese Embassy/Consulate General abroad, or Vietnam’s international border gate (in case the relative is abroad);
• Form NA5 is certified by the commune-level police, where the Vietnamese permanently reside (in case the relative is in Vietnam).
• Passport of the relative (valid for at least 06 months, having at least 02 blank pages):
• Photocopy (in case the relative is abroad).
• Original (in case the relative is in Vietnam).
• The sponsor’s identification card (notarized copy);
• The sponsor’s household registration (notarized copy);
• Papers proving the relationship such as a birth certificate for children, parents, marriage registration certificate for husband and wife, household registration book, family certificate, … (notarized copy)
• Identity card/Citizen identity card of the sponsor (notarized copy)
• Confirmation of temporary residence of the foreigner (in case the sponsor is in Vietnam).

4. Procedures for applying for a Visa to visit relatives
   • The relative is abroad

Step 1: Apply for an entry letter

• Prepare documents;
• Submission of documents: In case the sponsor has a household registration book/ the companies with headquarters from Da Nang northwards, submit at the Hanoi Immigration Department. In case the sponsor has a household registration book/ the companies with offices from Quang Nam southwards, apply to the Immigration Department of Ho Chi Minh City.
• Processing time is about 5-7 working days after receiving complete and valid dossiers.

The Vietnam Immigration Department will issue a guarantee for the Immigration Official (original) and fax it to the Vietnamese Embassy/Consulate office in foreign countries where the customer has registered to receive a Business Visa.

Note: HT cooperates to submit documents with the sponsor

Step 2: Receive visa (Customer does)

According to the provisions of law, foreigners entering Vietnam under the guarantee of agencies or organizations are granted visas at one of the following locations:

• Airport border gate international upon entry;
• Embassy/Consulate of Vietnam in the country where the foreigners exit.

However, at present, foreigners can usually only receive visas at Vietnam’s Embassies/Consulates abroad.

Foreigners need to prepare the following documents:

• Immigration letter (copy);
• Original passport valid for at least 06 months, having at least 02 blank pages (the same passport used to apply for a visa to enter Vietnam);
• 02 photo cards (size 4*6, white background, no hat, no glasses);
• Application for entry and exit from Vietnam;
• Visa stamping fee;
• Other documents (if applicable).

Note: Each Vietnamese Embassy/Consulate in different countries may have other application and fee requirements, so foreigners must actively contact before receiving a visa.

• The relative is in Vietnam

In this case, the sponsor takes the following steps to apply for a family visit visa for a foreigner in Vietnam:

Step 1: Prepare and submit the application

• Submission of documents: In case the sponsor has a household registration book/ the companies with headquarters from Da Nang northwards, submit at the Hanoi Immigration Department. In case the sponsor has a household registration book/ the companies with offices from Quang Nam southwards, apply to the Immigration Department of Ho Chi Minh City.
• Processing time is about 5-7 working days after receiving complete and valid dossiers.

Step 2: Receive the result

On the appointment date, the sponsor/representative of the guarantee agency will bring an appointment letter to the application location to receive the result of the visit visa.